Utilization of a Wide Array of Nonvalidated Outcome Scales in Pediatric Orthopaedic Publications: Can't We All Measure the Same Thing?

Allied health professionals' views on important outcomes of children's elective lower limb orthopaedic surgery: a qualitative interview study to inform a core outcome set

PURPOSE

A common methodological limitation of research that guides surgical procedure selection for children's elective lower limb orthopaedic surgeries is inconsistent outcome selection. Improving outcome consistency can be achieved through the development of a core outcome set (COS). The aim of this study is to identify which outcomes are considered important for children's elective lower limb orthopaedic surgeries by allied health professionals (AHPs) and explore why they select these outcomes, to inform a COS development project.

METHODS

Online semi-structured interviews were conducted with relevant AHPs. Participants were selected using maximum variation purposive sampling; selection was based on profession and inpatient/outpatient role. The data set was analysed using an inductive and deductive approach to thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Four physiotherapists, three orthotists, three prosthetists, and two occupational therapists were interviewed. Most identified outcomes of importance related to "activities and participation". From the data, we conceptualised that AHPs with effective multidisciplinary communication focused on child-centred outcomes, while clinicians with limited multidisciplinary teamwork focused on role-based outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

There is concurrence between outcomes identified as important in this study, and other qualitative studies in similar populations. These important outcomes were seldom measured in previous studies or in routine clinical practice.Implications for rehabilitationAllied health professionals (AHPs) prioritise activity and participation outcomes after children's elective lower limb orthopaedic surgery.It is important to the rehabilitation of children after elective lower limb orthopaedic surgery that all involved AHPs collaborate with the wider multidisciplinary team.Multidisciplinary team communication encourages collaborative outcome identification, and discourages role defined outcome focus.

Questionnaires that assess disability in children and adolescents with low back pain adhere to the concepts of the International classification of functioning, disability and health (ICF), but lack validity for this population: a systematic review

PURPOSE

We aimed to identify Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) that assess disability in children and adolescents with low back pain (LBP), analyzing their adherence to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) biopsychosocial model; and to describe the measurement properties of these PROMs.

METHODS

We searched Pubmed, Embase and CINAHL databases. The review included searches up to March 2022. Meaningful concepts of the PROMs were linked to ICF domains, and we manually searched for the measurement properties of each included PROM.

RESULTS

We included 23 studies, of which eight PROMs were analyzed. We retrieved 182 concepts in total. Activities was the domain with the highest number of linked concepts, whereas personal factors had no linked concepts. The modified Hannover Functional Ability Questionnaire (mHFAQ) and the Micheli Functional Scale (MFS) had measurement properties tested in children and adolescents, but had no information about construct validity.

CONCLUSION

Although most of the identified PROMs had broad coverage of their concepts in the ICF, only two PROMs had measurement properties tested in the population of interest in this review, in which the mHFAQ presented wide coverage in relation to the ICF. Further studies are needed to investigate content validity of these PROMs.

The construct validity and internal consistency of QuickDASH in pediatric patients with upper extremity fractures

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Investigation of treatment options in the pediatric population necessitates the use of valid patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). We aimed to assess the construct validity and internal consistency of the Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (QuickDASH) in the pediatric population with upper extremity fractures treated both operatively and conservatively.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

QuickDASH, along with several reference PROMs and objective outcome measures, was obtained from 148 5- to 18-year-old patients with a humeral medial epicondyle fracture or a fracture of the distal forearm in a cross-sectional setting with a single follow-up visit. Spearman's rank correlation and linear regression models were used to assess convergent validity, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to assess structural validity, and Cronbach's alpha to investigate internal consistency.

RESULTS

The direction and magnitude of correlation showed by QuickDASH with reference outcome measures was consistent and demonstrated good convergent validity. EFA indicated a 3-factor model with poor fit indices and structural validity remained questionable. Construct validity was considered acceptable overall. QuickDASH demonstrated good internal consistency with an acceptable Cronbach's alpha (α = 0.75).

CONCLUSION

QuickDASH demonstrated acceptable construct validity and good internal consistency and is thus a valid instrument, with some limitations, to assess disability and quality of life in pediatric patients with upper extremity fractures.

Quality of patient- and proxy-reported outcomes for children with impairment of the lower extremity: A systematic review using the COnsensus-based Standards for selection of health Measurement INstruments methodology

Background

Patient-reported outcome measures have become crucial in the clinical evaluation of patients. Appropriate selection, in a young population, of the instrument is vital to providing evidence-based patient-centered healthcare. This systematic review applies the COnsensus-based Standards for selection of health Measurement INstruments methodology to provide a critically appraised overview of patient-reported outcome measures targeted at pediatric orthopedic patients with lower limb impairment.

Method

A systematic search of electronic databases was performed to identify original studies reporting the development and/or validation of patient-reported outcome measures evaluating children with impairment of the lower extremity. Data extraction, quality assessment, and risk of bias evaluation were performed following the COnsensus-based Standards for selection of health Measurement INstruments guidelines and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses statement.

Results

A total of 6919 articles were screened. Thirty-three studies were included, reporting evidence on the measurement properties of 13 different patient-reported outcome measures and 20 translations. Four studies reported on content validity and patient-reported outcome measure development. The methodological quality of studies on structural validity, content validity, or patient-reported outcome measure development was mostly rated as "doubtful" or "very good." The quality of evidence on measurement properties varied noticeably, with most studies needing to perform improve their methodological quality to justify their results.

Conclusion

This review provides an extensive overview of all available patient-reported outcome measures for patients with lower extremity impairment within pediatric orthopedics. We cautiously advise the use of four patient-reported outcome measures. However, the scarce availability of research on content validity and patient-reported outcome measure development highlights an area for future research endeavors to improve our knowledge on the currently available patient-reported outcome measures.

Level of evidence

Diagnostic level 1.

Clinical outcomes measurement in pediatric lower limb prosthetics: A scoping review

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to identify clinical measures that have been used to evaluate function, health related quality of life (HRQoL), and/or satisfaction in children who use lower limb prostheses (LLP). The data reported on psychometric properties for children who use LLP were collected for each measure.

METHODS

First, PubMed, CINAHL, and Web of Science databases were searched using broad search terms to identify standardized outcome measures of function, HRQoL, and/or satisfaction with treatment used in pediatric LLP research published in 2001 or after. For each of the eligible measures found, a second search was performed to identify psychometric properties (e.g., validity, reliability) assessed with children who use LLP.

RESULTS

Forty-four standardized outcome measures were identified from 41 pediatric LLP research articles. Five measures (i.e., Gait Outcomes Assessment for Lower Limb Differences, Functional Mobility Assessment, Child Amputee Prosthetics Project- Prosthesis Satisfaction Inventory, Child Amputee Prosthetics Project- Functional Scale Index, and Lower Limb Function Questionnaire) had data on psychometric properties for children who use LLP.

CONCLUSIONS

Few studies report psychometric data for assessing the overall HRQoL, function, and/or satisfaction for children who use LLP. Further research is needed to validate or create new outcome measures that assess the HRQoL, satisfaction, and/or function of children who use LLP.

Evaluating the Use of PROMs in Paediatric Orthopaedic Registries

Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) provide structured information on the patient's health experience and facilitate shared clinical decision-making. Registries that collect PROMs generate essential information about the clinical course and efficacy of interventions. Whilst PROMs are increasingly being used in adult orthopaedic registries, their use in paediatric orthopaedic registries is not well known. The purpose of this systematic review was to identify the frequency and scope of registries that collect PROMs in paediatric orthopaedic patient groups. In July 2023, six databases were systematically searched to identify studies that collected PROMs using a registry amongst patients aged under 18 years with orthopaedic diagnoses. Of 3190 identified articles, 128 unique registries were identified. Three were exclusively paediatric, 27 were majority paediatric, and the remainder included a minority of paediatric patients. One hundred and twenty-eight registries collected 72 different PROMs, and 58% of these PROMs were not validated for a paediatric population. The largest group of orthopaedic registries collected PROMs on knee ligament injuries (21%). There are few reported dedicated orthopaedic registries collecting PROMs in paediatric populations. The majority of PROMs collected amongst paediatric populations by orthopaedic registries are not validated for patients under the age of 18 years. The use of non-validated PROMs by registries greatly impedes their utility and impact. Dedicated orthopaedic registries collecting paediatric-validated PROMs are needed to increase health knowledge, improve decision-making between patients and healthcare providers, and optimise orthopaedic management.

How Much Will My Child's ACL Reconstruction Cost? Availability and Variability of Price Estimates for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction in the United States

BACKGROUND

Despite recent policy efforts to increase price transparency, obtaining estimated prices for surgery remains difficult for most patients and families.

PURPOSE

Assess availability and variability of cost and self-pay discounts for pediatric anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction in the United States.

METHODS

This was a prospective study using scripted telephone calls to obtain price estimates and self-pay discounts for pediatric ACL reconstruction. From July to August 2020, investigators called 102 hospitals, 51 "top-ranked" pediatric orthopaedic hospitals and 51 "non-top ranked" hospitals randomly selected, to impersonate the parent of an uninsured child with a torn ACL. Hospital, surgeon, and anesthesia price estimates, availability of a self-pay discount, and number of calls and days required to obtain price estimates were recorded for each hospital. Hospitals were compared on the basis of ranking, teaching status, and region.

RESULTS

Only 31/102 (30.3%) hospitals provided a complete price estimate. Overall, 52.9% of top-ranked hospitals were unable to provide any price information versus 31.4% of non-top-ranked hospitals ( P =0.027). There was a 6.1-fold difference between the lowest and highest complete price estimates (mean estimate $29,590, SD $14,975). The mean complete price estimate for top-ranked hospitals was higher than for non-top-ranked hospitals ($34,901 vs. $25,207; P =0.07). The mean complete price estimate varied significantly across US region ( P =0.014), with the greatest mean complete price in the Northeast ($41,812). Altogether, 38.2% hospitals specified a self-pay discount, but only a fraction disclosed exact dollar or percentage discounts. The mean self-pay discount from top-ranked hospitals was larger than that of non-top-ranked hospitals ($18,305 vs. $9902; P =0.011). An average of 3.1 calls (range 1.0 to 12.0) over 5 days (range 1 to 23) were needed to obtain price estimates.

CONCLUSION

Price estimates for pediatric sports medicine procedures can be challenging to obtain, even for the educated consumer. Top-ranked hospitals and hospitals in the Northeast region may charge more than their counterparts. In all areas, self-pay discounts can be substantial if they can be identified but they potentially create an information disadvantage for unaware patients needing to pay out-of-pocket.

STUDY DESIGN

Economic; Level of Evidence II.

WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THE SUBJECT

Previous studies have highlighted the importance of value-based health care decisions and deficits of price transparency in various fields including pediatric and orthopaedics procedures.

WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE

This study is the first to examine availability and variability of health care cost in pediatric sports medicine and the first to assess availability and magnitude of self-pay discounts, setting expectations for the uninsured patient incurring large out-of-pocket expenses.

Construct Validity of Pediatric PROMIS Computerized Adaptive Testing Measures in Children With Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis

BACKGROUND

The use of patient-reported outcome measures, especially Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) measures, has increased in recent years. Given this growth, it is imperative to ensure that the measures being used are validated for the intended population(s)/disease(s). Our objective was to assess the construct validity of 8 PROMIS computer adaptive testing (CAT) measures among children with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS).

METHODS

We prospectively enrolled 200 children (aged 10 to 17 y) with AIS, who completed 8 PROMIS CATs (Anxiety, Depressive Symptoms, Mobility, Pain Behavior, Pain Interference, Peer Relationships, Physical Activity, Physical Stress Experiences) and the Scoliosis Research Society-22r questionnaire (SRS-22r) electronically. Treatment categories were observation, bracing, indicated for surgery, or postoperative from posterior spinal fusion. Construct validity was evaluated using known group analysis and convergent and discriminant validity analyses. Analysis of variance was used to identify differences in PROMIS T -scores by treatment category (known groups). The Spearman rank correlation coefficient ( rs ) was calculated between corresponding PROMIS and SRS-22r domains (convergent) and between unrelated PROMIS domains (discriminant). Floor/ceiling effects were calculated.

RESULTS

Among treatment categories, significant differences were found in PROMIS Mobility, Pain Behavior, Pain Interference, and Physical Stress Experiences and in all SRS-22r domains ( P <0.05) except Mental Health ( P =0.15). SRS-22r Pain was strongly correlated with PROMIS Pain Interference ( rs =-0.72) and Pain Behavior ( rs =-0.71) and moderately correlated with Physical Stress Experiences ( rs =-0.57). SRS-22r Mental Health was strongly correlated with PROMIS Depressive Symptoms ( rs =-0.72) and moderately correlated with Anxiety ( rs =-0.62). SRS-22r Function was moderately correlated with PROMIS Mobility ( rs =0.64) and weakly correlated with Physical Activity ( rs =0.34). SRS-22r Self-Image was weakly correlated with PROMIS Peer Relationships ( rs =0.33). All unrelated PROMIS CATs were weakly correlated (| rs |<0.40). PROMIS Anxiety, Mobility, Pain Behavior, and Pain Interference and SRS-22r Function, Pain, and Satisfaction displayed ceiling effects.

CONCLUSIONS

Evidence supports the construct validity of 6 PROMIS CATs in evaluating AIS patients. Ceiling effects should be considered when using specific PROMIS CATs.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level II, prognostic.

Quality of patient-reported and proxy-reported outcomes for children with impairment of the lower extremity: systematic review protocol

INTRODUCTION

As patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) have become of significant importance in evaluation of care and clinical research, adequately selecting the appropriate instrument is an integral part of paediatric orthopaedic research and clinical practice. This systematic review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of PROMs targeted at children with impairment of the lower limb, and to critically appraise and summarise the quality of their measurement properties by applying the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) methodology.

METHOD AND ANALYSIS

A systematic search of the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases will be performed to identify relevant publications reporting on the development and/or validation of PROMs used for evaluating children with impairment of the lower extremity. Data extraction and quality assessment of the included studies will be undertaken by two reviewers independently and in accordance with COSMIN guidelines.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

It is not necessary to obtain ethical approval for this systematic review. The results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and will be presented at relevant conferences to enhance information dissemination.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42021287323.

Pediatric hand therapists' experiences with outcomes measurement: An interpretive descriptive study

BACKGROUND

Demonstrating that pediatric hand therapy patients are achieving improved functional and health status outcomes is critical as reimbursement for therapy services shifts to value-based reimbursement. Yet, practice patterns of outcomes assessment in pediatric hand therapy are unknown.

PURPOSE

Explore how pediatric hand therapists describe their experience measuring treatment outcomes and using patient reported outcome measures (PROMs). Secondarily, to elucidate what therapists perceive children and adolescents receiving hand therapy desire as treatment outcomes.

STUDY DESIGN

Interpretive descriptive qualitative study METHODS: Pediatric hand therapists were recruited through an email invitation sent to members of the Pediatric Hand Study Group to participate in one-on-one interviews over a teleconference link. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded to derive themes. Data collection and analysis were iterative.

RESULTS

Ten therapists with a median 13 years (range, 2-25 years) of experience practicing in pediatric hand therapy completed interviews. Overall, participants reported using 52 unique outcomes measures, including 20 PROMs. The following themes were elucidated: (1) Complexity and variability in pediatric hand therapy practice and outcomes assessment; (2) Barriers to PROM use; (3) Value of PROM utilization; (4) Desired characteristics of an optimal PROM for pediatric hand therapy.

CONCLUSION

Practice with outcomes assessment is variable. PROM utilization in pediatric hand therapy practice may be improved with the development of a PROM that is aligned with the pediatric population's outcomes priorities.

Quality of patient- and proxy-reported outcomes for children with impairment of the upper extremity: a systematic review using the COSMIN methodology

Background

As patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) have become of significant importance in patient evaluation, adequately selecting the appropriate instrument is an integral part of pediatric orthopedic research and clinical practice. This systematic review provides a comprehensive overview of PROMs targeted at children with impairment of the upper limb, and critically appraises and summarizes the quality of their measurement properties by applying the COnsensus-based Standards for selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) methodology.

Methods

A systematic search of the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases was performed to identify relevant publications reporting on the development and/or validation of PROMs used for evaluating children with impairment of the upper extremity. Data extraction and quality assessment (including a risk of bias evaluation) of the included studies was undertaken by two reviewers independently and in accordance with COSMIN guidelines.

Results

Out of 6423 screened publications, 32 original articles were eligible for inclusion in this review, reporting evidence on the measurement properties of 22 self- and/or proxy-reported questionnaires (including seven cultural adaptations) for various pediatric orthopedic conditions, including cerebral palsy (CP) and obstetric brachial plexus palsy (OBPP). The measurement property most frequently evaluated was construct validity. No studies evaluating content validity and only four PROM development studies were included. The methodological quality of these development studies was either ‘doubtful’ or ‘inadequate’. The quantity and quality of the evidence on the other measurement properties of the included questionnaires varied substantially with insufficient sample sizes and/or poor methodological quality resulting in significant downgrading of evidence quality.

Conclusion

This review provides a comprehensive overview of currently available PROMs for evaluation of the pediatric upper limb. Based on our findings, none of the PROMs demonstrated sufficient evidence on their measurement properties to justify recommending the use of these instruments. These findings provide room for validation studies on existing pediatric orthopedic upper limb PROMs (especially on content validity), and/or the development of new instruments.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s41687-022-00469-4.

Development of the CORE-Kids core set of outcome domains for studies of childhood limb fractures

Aims

The aim of this study is to develop a core set of outcome domains that should be considered and reported in all future trials of childhood limb fractures.

Methods

A four-phase study was conducted to agree a set of core outcome domains. Identification of candidate outcome domains were identified through systematic review of trials, and outcome domains relevant to families were identified through semi-structured interviews with 20 families (parent-child pairing or group). Outcome domains were prioritized using an international three-round Delphi survey with 205 panellists and then condensed into a core outcome set through a consensus workshop with 30 stakeholders.

Results

The systematic review and interviews identified 85 outcome domains as relevant to professionals or families. The Delphi survey prioritized 30 upper and 29 lower limb outcome domains at first round, an additional 17 upper and 18 lower limb outcomes at second round, and four additional outcomes for upper and lower limb at the third round as important domains. At the consensus workshop, the core outcome domains were agreed as: 1) pain and discomfort; 2) return to physical and recreational activities; 3) emotional and psychosocial wellbeing; 4) complications from the injury and treatment; 5) rturn to baseline activities daily living; 6) participation in learning; 7) appearance and deformity; and 8) time to union. In addition, 9a) recovery of mobility and 9b) recovery of manual dexterity was recommended as a core outcome for lower and upper limb fractures, respectively.

Conclusion

This set of core outcome domains is recommended as a minimum set of outcomes to be reported in all trials. It is not an exhaustive set and further work is required to identify what outcome tools should be used to measure each of these outcomes. Adoption of this outcome set will improve the consistency of research for these children that can be combined for more meaningful meta-analyses and policy development.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2021;103-B(12):1821–1830.

Current use of patient-reported outcomes in pediatric limb deformity surgery

Patient-reported outcome (PRO) instruments are critical to evaluate the natural history of conditions and treatment effects, but have not been well studied in pediatric limb deformity. The goal of this study was to identify and assess the most commonly used PROs in pediatric limb deformity surgery across a representative sample of the recent orthopedic literature. A review was performed from 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2018 in five orthopedic journals previously identified as having the greatest impact: Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics, Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics B, Journal of Children's Orthopaedics, The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, and The Bone and Joint Journal. Clinical research studies involving pediatric population, operative management of limb deformity, and PRO measures were reviewed. The initial search of 3489 publications found 130 clinical articles involving operative management of pediatric limb deformity. Thirty-one studies (24%) met inclusion criteria, in which a total of 23 different PRO instruments were used. An average of 1.5 PRO instruments was reported per study (range 1-4). No outcome instrument was used by more than five different studies in this review, and no instrument validated in the pediatric population was used by more than three different studies. PROs currently used in pediatric limb deformity surgery are highly heterogeneous, as well as underutilized. Future research is necessary to either validate a current PRO in pediatric limb deformity or to develop a new instrument using pediatric Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System or Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument as a benchmark.

Patient-centered outcomes used in pediatric focused manual therapies research studies: a secondary data analysis of a systematic review

Background

Patient-reported outcome measurements (PROM) are instruments that seek a patient’s health or functional status. Inclusion of standardized PROMs in research studies and clinical practice provides a more comprehensive understanding of an intervention from the patient’s viewpoint. This secondary analysis identified PROM usage and appropriateness of references for property measurements from clinical trials included in a recent systematic review of pediatric manual therapy.

Methods

All included manuscripts within a recent systematic review had two authors extract PROM and associated property measurement data, including the property measurements supporting citations. Inclusion criteria for the articles were published clinical trials (observational or experimental) of pediatric children receiving manual therapy (any profession) for any condition between 2001-March 2018. For each PROM’s associated property measurement, two authors used the COSMIN study design checklist to appraise the quality of the cited study to evaluate the property measurement.

Results

Of the 50 manuscripts included in the systematic review, 20 manuscripts reported the use of 52 PROMs. Of the 52 PROMs assessed, 31 did not make a statement about the instrument’s property measurement, 7 PROMs had property measurements stated but not referenced, 4 PROMs stated that the property measurement information was unknown, and 10 had property measurement data with reference(s). These 10 PROMs with referenced property measurements were from 7 unique PROMs: constipation assessment scale, satisfaction visual analog scale (VAS), crying time diary, sleep diary, fear avoidance belief questionnaire (FABQ), pain VAS, and autism treatment evaluation checklist. The assessment of the referenced property measurements found that several property measurement’s dimensions had not been assessed and those that had were evaluated were done so with poor or fair standards.

Conclusions

This secondary analysis finds that clinical studies of pediatric manual therapy lack consistent use of PROMs with high quality property measurements. Further research to establish and implement PROMs to be used in future research studies and in clinical settings should become a priority for professions using manual therapy in children.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s41687-021-00305-1.

Pediatric Simple Knee Value: a simple patient-reported outcome measure for the knee

PURPOSE

The pediatric Simple Knee Value (pedi-SKV) is an outcome score in which paediatric patients are asked 'How would you rate your knee today as a percentage of normal (0% to 100% scale with 100% being normal)?'. The primary aim of this study was to validate the pedi-SKV by measuring its correlation with validated knee function scores used most often in paediatric orthopaedics.

METHODS

This prospective study was conducted at a teaching hospital to evaluate the pedi-SKV's validity. A total of 44 paediatric patients (ten to 15 years old), were enrolled prior to anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction as well as 17 healthy controls. A survey form consisting of the Lysholm, International Knee Documentation Committee Pediatric Form (Pedi-IKDC) and pedi-SKV was given to subjects twice (enrolment and six months postoperatively). The criterion validity of the pedi-SKV was determined by correlating it to existing knee functional scores. Responsiveness to change was evaluated by comparing the pedi-SKV scores before and after surgery (enrolment visit and six-month postoperative visit). Discriminative ability was evaluated by comparing the pedi-SKV distribution in patients versus controls.

RESULTS

There was a strong and significant correlation between the pedi-SKV and the Lysholm and Pedi-IKDC (p < 0.0001). The pedi-SKV had a good responsiveness to change (p < 0.0001 for the pedi-SKV before versus six months postoperatively). Like the other knee-specific functional sores (p < 0.0001), the pedi-SKV was able to distinguish between patients and controls (p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

The pedi-SKV is a valid outcome measure that is strongly correlated with the Lysholm and Pedi-IKDC. This is a novel simple score that can be used by physicians in their daily practice.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

II.

The Majority of Patient-reported Outcome Measures in Pediatric Orthopaedic Research Are Used Without Validation

BACKGROUND

Given that patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are increasingly used to inform clinical decision-making, it is vital that they are validated, reliable, responsive, and appropriate for the population under study. The purpose of this systematic review was to assess the rate of PROM use in the pediatric orthopaedic literature, characterize whether each use was in the PROM-validated demographic, and analyze the association between bibliometric factors and the use of PROMs with incomplete validation.

METHODS

The Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) Web of Science database was queried for all clinical pediatric orthopaedic studies from 2014 to 2017. All PROMs were recorded for each study independently by 2 reviewers and cross-referenced with the published orthopaedic literature as of 2017 to determine if the PROM had been validated for the study population. PROMs that had not been validated, had been shown to be invalid, or had conflicting validity studies for use in the population of interest were designated as incompletely validated or used without complete validation. The following covariates were recorded for each study: subspecialty, inclusion of a statistician coauthor, sample size, journal, and the journal impact factor. χ analysis was used to evaluate the association between categorical variables and the use of at least 1 incompletely validated PROM.

RESULTS

In total, 1000 articles were screened, yielding 653 studies that met our inclusion criteria. A total of 104/653 (16%) publications-reported PROMs. PROMs were used without complete validation 120/165 (73%) times, and 77/104 (74%) studies used at least 1 PROM without complete validation. The most frequent reasons for incomplete validation were (1) using PROMs that had been validated in adults, but not pediatrics (n=47; 28.5%), and (2) using PROMs that had been designated in the literature as invalid for pediatrics (n=27; 16.4%). The incomplete validation of at least 1 PROM was associated with smaller sample size (P=0.01) and subspecialty (P<0.01). Overall rates of PROM use and the proportion of PROMs used without complete validation were both found to be higher than those previously reported.

CONCLUSION

The majority of pediatric orthopaedic studies reporting PROMs used at least 1 PROM without complete validation for their study population.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV-systematic review of level I, II, III, and IV studies.

Quality of patient-reported outcomes used for quality of life, physical function, and functional capacity in trials of childhood fractures

AIMS

This study evaluates the quality of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) reported in childhood fracture trials and recommends outcome measures to assess and report physical function, functional capacity, and quality of life using the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) standards.

METHODS

A Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA)-compliant systematic review of OVID Medline, Embase, and Cochrane CENTRAL was performed to identify all PROMs reported in trials. A search of OVID Medline, Embase, and PsycINFO was performed to identify all PROMs with validation studies in childhood fractures. Development studies were identified through hand-searching. Data extraction was undertaken by two reviewers. Study quality and risk of bias was evaluated by COSMIN guidelines and recorded on standardized checklists.

RESULTS

Searches yielded 13,672 studies, which were screened to identify 124 trials and two validation studies. Review of the 124 trials identified 16 reported PROMs, of which two had validation studies. The development papers were retrieved for all PROMs. The quality of the original development studies was adequate for Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Mobility and Upper Extremity and doubtful for the EuroQol Five Dimension Youth questionnaire (EQ-5D-Y). All other PROMs were found to have inadequate development studies. No content validity studies were identified. Reviewer-rated content validity was acceptable for six PROMs: Activity Scale for Kids (ASK), Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire, PROMIS Upper Extremity, PROMIS Mobility, EQ-5D-Y, and Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL4.0). The Modified Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) questionnaire was shown to have indeterminate reliability and convergence validity in one study and PROMIS Upper Extremity had insufficient convergence validity in one study.

CONCLUSION

There is insufficient evidence to recommend strongly the use of any single PROM to assess and report physical function or quality of life following childhood fractures. There is a need to conduct validation studies for PROMs. In the absence of these studies, we cautiously recommend the use of the PROMIS or ASK-P for physical function and the PedsQL4.0 or EQ-5D-Y for quality of life. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2020;102-B(12):1599-1607.

Outcomes reported in trials of childhood fractures: a systematic review

Aims

To analyze outcomes reported in trials of childhood fractures.

Methods

OVID MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane CENTRAL databases were searched on the eighth August 2019. A manual search of trial registries, bibliographic review and internet search was used to identify additional studies. 11,476 studies were screened following PRISMA guidelines. 100 trials were included in the analysis. Data extraction was completed by two researchers for each trial. Study quality was not evaluated. Outcomes reported by trials were mapped onto domains in the World Health Organization (WHO) International Classification of Function framework.

Results

In all, 525 outcomes were identified representing 52 WHO domains. Four domains were reported in more than 50% of trials: structure of upper/lower limb, sensation of pain, mobility of joint function, and health services, systems and policies. The Activities Scale for Kids performance (ASK-p) score was the most common outcome score reported in 6/72 upper limb and 4/28 lower limb trials.

Conclusion

There is a diverse range of outcomes reported in trials of childhood fractures covering all areas in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework. There were three common upper limb and three common lower limb outcomes. In the absence of a core outcome set, we recommend that upper limb trials report pain, range of movement and radiograph appearance of the arm and lower limb trials report pain, radiograph appearance of the leg and healthcare costs to improve consistency of reporting in future trials.

Cite this article: Bone Joint Open 2020;1-5:167–174.

Paediatric olecranon fractures: a systematic review

The optimal management and long-term outcomes of olecranon fractures in the paediatric population is not well understood. This systematic review aims to analyse the literature on the management of paediatric olecranon fractures and the long-term implications.A systematic review of several databases was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. English-language studies evaluating the management of isolated paediatric olecranon fractures were included. Data extracted included demographics, classifications, conservative and operative treatment methods and outcomes.Fifteen articles fitting the inclusion criteria were included. There were 11 case series and four retrospective comparative series. The reported studies included 299 fractures in 280 patients.The mechanism of injury was predominantly low energy. Fractures displaced < 4 mm were treated non-operatively with almost universally good results, with the majority being treated with cast immobilization. Fractures displaced > 4 mm were commonly treated operatively with generally good results, with tension band wire and suture fixation being the most common treatment modalities. Weight > 50 kg was associated with failure of suture fixation.In those studies that reported olecranon fractures with associated elbow injuries (e.g. radial head fractures) outcomes were poorer. Forty-six fractures were in patients with osteogenesis imperfecta, who sustained a higher rate of re-fracture after removal of metalwork and contralateral olecranon fracture.Despite a relatively low evidence base pool of studies, the aggregate data support the non-operative treatment of isolated undisplaced olecranon fractures with good results, and support the operative treatment of fractures displaced ≥ 4 mm. Cite this article: EFORT Open Rev 2020;5:280-288. DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.5.190082.

CORE-Kids: a protocol for the development of a core outcome set for childhood fractures

INTRODUCTION

Limb fractures in children are common yet there are few trials that compare treatments for these injuries. There is significant heterogeneity in the outcomes reported in the paediatric orthopaedic literature, which limits the ability to compare study results and draw firm conclusions. The aim of the CORE-Kids Study is to develop a core outcome set for use in research studies of childhood limb fractures. A core outcome set will provide a minimum set of outcomes to be measured in all trials to minimise the heterogeneity of outcomes reported and minimise reporting bias. A core outcome set ensures that outcomes are reported that are relevant to families as well as clinicians. The core outcome set will include additional upper and lower limb modules.

METHODS

The development of the core outcome set will require four phases to evaluate:What are the outcomes that are relevant to professionals?What are the outcomes that are relevant to families?What are the most important of these outcomes?Which outcomes should be included in the core outcome set?This will be completed through a systematic review of trials to identify the outcomes domains that are relevant to trialists. A series of semi-structured interviews will be completed with families to identify the outcome domains that are relevant to families. These outcome domains will be used in a three-round Delphi Study to analyse the importance of these outcome domains to a range of stakeholders including parents, clinicians and researchers. Following this, the core outcome set will be decided at a consensus meeting.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethical approval has been awarded HRA/REC IRAS number 262503. Date of approval 06/08/2019. Dissemination will be through scientific literature and international societies.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Core Outcome Measures in Effectiveness Trials Initiative, registration number: 1274. Date of registration 13/12/2018.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42018106605.